e.l.f. Pure Skin Moisturizer: a Guru Score of 72%

What the experts use it for.

The concerns the experts tie this product to, in their own words. Paid and founder takes don't count.

Skin barrier support2 experts

“Just all around wonderful ingredients that help to keep your skin's moisture barrier supported and hydrated.”

Dark spots and post-acne marks1 expert

“It has ceramides which are good for the moisture barrier, niacinamide which is helpful for redness and hyperpigmentation, [...] oats, and sodium hyaluronate.”

Dr Dray, watch at 7:24

Redness1 expert

“It has ceramides which are good for the moisture barrier, niacinamide which is helpful for redness and hyperpigmentation, [...] oats, and sodium hyaluronate.”

Dr Dray, watch at 7:24

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Yay takes Nay takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored

No BS Beauty

89k subs

~Yay

"The e.l.f. Pure Skin Moisturizer, which is 12 bucks, so that saves you a ton. It contains the ceramides, phytonazine, cholesterol, vitamin E, it's fragrance-free, and it's really nice for normal and combination skin types and pretty friendly for acne prone skin."

All 2 takes from No BS Beauty

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"Coming at twelve dollars for 75 milliliters is the elf Pure Skin Moisturizer, great for most skin types, lightweight, works great in the daytime routine and under sunscreen as well. It's also vegan. [...] It's got a really nice texture. I would say this one's pretty friendly for most skin types. [...] We've got niacinamide, oat kernel, a good soothing ingredient, alanine, chamomile, and then ceramides. It's a really nice all-purpose twelve dollar moisturizer that's vegan."

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"The e.l.f. Pure Skin Moisturizer, which is 12 bucks, so that saves you a ton. It contains the ceramides, phytonazine, cholesterol, vitamin E, it's fragrance-free, and it's really nice for normal and combination skin types and pretty friendly for acne prone skin."

James Welsh

1.58M subs

~Mixed

"The e.l.f. Pure Skin Moisturizer is a budget option that works as a great daytime one. I personally did not like it, but I know a lot of people absolutely love this one."

Dr Dray

2.69M subs

~Yay

"I like that it's fragrance-free. It also has ceramides which can help with your skin barrier, they're lipids that are naturally part of your skin barrier and when applied to the skin can help improve barrier function. It has hyaluronic acid, a humectant, [...] and also oat which has anti-inflammatory compounds. It's moisturizing. This particular moisturizer I have used, it goes on a little streaky but it's otherwise great."

All 2 takes from Dr Dray

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"I like that it's fragrance-free. It also has ceramides which can help with your skin barrier, they're lipids that are naturally part of your skin barrier and when applied to the skin can help improve barrier function. It has hyaluronic acid, a humectant, [...] and also oat which has anti-inflammatory compounds. It's moisturizing. This particular moisturizer I have used, it goes on a little streaky but it's otherwise great."

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"I actually like this and I like that the packaging is a pump, which I really appreciate, because most E.L.F skin care products are in a jar. [...] It has ceramides which are good for the moisture barrier, niacinamide which is helpful for redness and hyperpigmentation, [...] oats, and sodium hyaluronate. [...] The consistency [...] goes on a little streaky and there are no silicones in it."

Dr. Jenny Liu

324k subs

~Yay

"It is a rich cream that's nourishing but it's pretty elegant, does not feel super heavy or greasy. Ingredient-wise, it contains oat milk that helps to nourish and soothe the skin, along with niacinamide, allantoin, and hyaluronic acid. Just all around wonderful ingredients that help to keep your skin's moisture barrier supported and hydrated. [...] For that price and for that formula, you just can't go wrong if you're looking for something super ultra-rich and nourishing."

HotandFlashy

1.23M subs

~Mixed

"The E.L.F Pure Skin Moisturizer also contains ceramides, niacinamide, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid. I've used most of this up, but I've kind of stopped using this because I went back to my CeraVe."

All 5 takes from HotandFlashy

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"The elf Pure Skin Moisturizer has very similar ingredients to CeraVe PM - they both contain niacinamide, ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and glycerin, so they're both great products at about the same price point. I notice that when I use the elf my sunscreen wasn't sitting as well over the moisturizer as it had when I used the CeraVe, so I'm probably going to use up the end of this in the evenings, but when I'm wearing sunscreen I like the CeraVe better."

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"I also recently tried this elf pure skin in line moisturizer with oat milk ceramides and niacinamide again ceramides niacinamide glycerin hyaluronic acid all the same things as the Cerave lotion and at a very similar price point not more expensive than the CeraVe and I actually like both of these better so shocker shocker I have now completely jettisoned the Cerave from my skincare routine."

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"The Elf Pure Skin Moisturizer with oat milk, ceramides, and niacinamide is a really good one."

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"The E.L.F Pure Skin Moisturizer also contains ceramides, niacinamide, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid. I've used most of this up, but I've kind of stopped using this because I went back to my CeraVe."

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"Your Skin Moisturizer with Oat Milk, Ceramides, and Niacinamide. This also has the same ingredients as the CeraVe and as the Pacifica: niacinamide, ceramides, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid. It's just a really nice little moisturizer. This is 2.5 ounces so it's smaller than what you get with the CeraVe. I'm not sure what the price difference is. e.l.f. tends to be pretty inexpensive. But if you didn't like the CeraVe PM for any reason, here are two really good options."

The Budget Dermatologist

725k subs

~Yay

"I think it's actually very similar in feel to the Cetaphil Skin Renewing Night Cream, which I told you is a holy grail of mine. This is super affordable at just twelve dollars. It comes in a pump bottle, which I love because these are so much easier and nicer to use. It [...] rubs in super quickly and really feels very similar to the Cetaphil one again just at a lower price point. I love this entire Pure Skin line by ELF. It's an easy three step, super affordable."

What the evidence says.

Independent of what the gurus think, this is what the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.

Niacinamide

Niacinamide has evidence behind it for redness, uneven tone and supporting the skin barrier, and it is usually well tolerated even by skin that reacts to most things.

Source: DermNet

Ceramides

Ceramides are part of the skin's own barrier, and moisturisers built around them have evidence for holding water in and settling the tightness and flaking that come with a damaged barrier.

Source: DermNet

Humectants and emollients

Ingredients like these draw water into the surface layers and slow how fast it leaves. The evidence is for comfort, softness and hydration rather than for changing the structure of the skin.

Source: DermNet

Frequently asked.

What is e.l.f. Pure Skin Moisturizer?

A budget-friendly, fragrance-free daily moisturizer from e.l.f. Pure Skin, sold in a pump bottle and designed to hydrate and support the skin barrier.

Is e.l.f. Pure Skin Moisturizer worth it?

The gurus mostly approve it, but with enough reservations to keep it in the middle at a Guru Score of 72%.

What is e.l.f. Pure Skin Moisturizer's Guru Score?

e.l.f. Pure Skin Moisturizer holds a Guru Score of 72%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 6 expert reviewers we have collected.

What is e.l.f. Pure Skin Moisturizer good for, according to the experts?

In their reviews, experts say e.l.f. Pure Skin Moisturizer is good for skin barrier support (2 experts), dark spots and post-acne marks (1 expert) and redness (1 expert).

Is e.l.f. Pure Skin Moisturizer good for skin barrier support?

2 experts who reviewed e.l.f. Pure Skin Moisturizer say it is. Dr. Jenny Liu put it this way: “Just all around wonderful ingredients that help to keep your skin's moisture barrier supported and hydrated.”